TYLER, Texas — **EDITOR'S NOTE -- the video attached was produced in June 2022 and is not related to the story.
The Texas Department of Insurance is warning consumers to be on the look-out for phone calls of people claiming to be a representative of TDI.
TDI's Fraud Unit has received a report that a consumer was contacted via phone by someone claiming to be a TDI employee. The fraudulent representative was offering to meet at their home to go over any of the consumer's insurance needs.
The TDI is reminding consumers that representatives will only contact consumers if they receive a call by a consumer asking for assistance. The department will never call consumers.
“The individual who received the call did the right thing by not providing any personal information and contacting us,” said Chris Davis, head of TDI’s Fraud Unit. “This may have been an attempt at identity theft or other crime.”
Davis recommends that consumers should exercise caution if they are contacted regarding anything about their personal finances, especially if they did not initiate the call first.
Unless consumers are sure of who they are speaking with, they should not disclose the following personal information:
- Address
- Birth date
- Social Security Number
- Any financial information, like bank account numbers
For those who need help with an insurance issue or suspect insurance fraud, consumers are encouraged to call the TDI's Help Line at 800-252-3439 or visit their website for further details.